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Dinner

I used to work in this beautiful food co-op in Sydney, Australia. Called ALFALFA HOUSE. The nice thing about working there was how many weird looking and unknown vegetables i have come across and get to know. I have learned so very much working there, worked with so many different veggies. All organic, always!

One of which is TARO (mandioca), now i was drawn by it because my name is Karo, how could i not fall far taro with karo…… haha…. and you can do so much with it, i made chips with it this week, but i have also made yummy taro muffins and used it in shakes and smoothies because of the thickness and sweetness and the texture of this wonderful root vegetable.

This weekend recipe is all about taro and potatoes…..ENJOY!

POTATO SQUASH with taro chips and homemade soyonaisse.

Ingredients:

1 small potato squash (in the picture you see a fresh one our dear friend Rita brought us that from her father’s veggie garden)

10 potatoes (in the picture you see our very own home grown ones, grown in our city garden on the balcony)

1/2 taro peeled

himalayan salt to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup tamari

Optional add a little garlic

Method:

Pre-heat the oven on 180 degrees.

The potatoes and the squash need more time in the oven then the taro chips, so let’s start with them. Cut them up in cubes and then place them in an oven dish, i didn’t take the skin of the squash, which usually is fine, but in this case, the skin was still very hard, so i would recommend to take the skin off the squash. Place in the dish and massage them with the oil, give them a nice bath of oil and then add the tamari too. Optional add the garlic and place in the oven for about 45 to 50 minutes.

Slice the taro in thin slices, so they really are like chips. Place them on an oven tray (lay the oven tray with some greasing paper) then add some olive oil, soak all the chips in the oil and add some salt (himalayan)

Place the tray in the oven for 10 minutes on each side, making sure you flip the chips so they are baked on two sides.

Add the coconut oil to a frying pan, fry the kale and spinach together, start with the kale, add a little bit of water to the mix, no more then a cup, set aside. Start cooking the pasta, this can be any kind of pasta, my favorite are quinoa and rice penne (gluten free) or spelt penne (gluten) Boil some water, add the pasta, cook for about 10 minutes, however long it takes, I find that gluten free pasta takes a little shorter, when you have done that set aside the pasta too. In a blender start blending the cashews with some water, add the nutritional yeast first and then add the kale and spinach, blend till it’s smooth, then add to the pasta, stir together and cook for about a minute. Let it cool for about 10 minutes and then refrigerate for 2 hours, sprinkle with some sesame seeds.

TIP: to make it even more of a pesto replace the cashews with pinenuts.

In winter this is seriously all we eat in Holland, or well I did, it’s a lovely dish to keep you warm in winter & easy to make! It tastes just as delicious in all other 3 seasons just so you know! Lisa loves it!

Makes 4-6 serves

Ingredients

500 grams potatoes, peeled and cut in halves

500 grams carrots, peeled and diced

2 medium onions, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp oil

2 tbsp vegan margarine

2 tbsp bouillon

1 tsp ground chilli

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garam masala

salt and pepper to taste (I also use a tsp of chilli flakes)

Method

Prepare to medium sauce pans, one for the potatoes, one for the carrots, boil water in both and add the potatoes in one pan and the carrots in the other, bring to boil, covering the pan. Make sure the water is salty, so throw about 2 tbsp of salt in both, add the bouillon to the carrots. When boiling, strain and set aside.

Heat oil in a wok, add the onions and fry until golden brown, when they turn golden brown add a little water (say 1/3 cup) add the garam masala, chilli, paprika and some salt and pepper, mix and cook well together. When that’s done, set aside.

Now the next step is throw together the potatoes, carrots and mixture and add in the margarine, with a hand blender mix it all together, you want the stew to be medium soft, so not so soft it’s like a soup but not too hard either. Serve with some vegan hotdogs or sausages on top or with a vegan meatloaf.

VEGAN MEAT LOAF serves 4-6

I love making this alongside “hutspot” or any kind of potato mash dish, it really compliments dishes like that, but it perfectly works on it’s own as a single dish too.

Also the *nutritional yeast can be replaced with dried mustard powder, it’s an ingredient you can’t always get in places. In Portugal for example nutritional yeast is literally translated as : levedura nutricional but the shops sell it as: levedura de cerveja, which I find confusing as to me that’s more like brewers yeast, but it is indeed nutritional yeast, just not the actual flakes, more like powder.

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees. Fry/sauté on medium heat the onions, celery, carrot and garlic. Meanwhile blend the bread and walnut together, fine but not like a powder. The next step is to then blend everything together EXCEPT the ketchup!), including all the spices, mix well, use a big bowl for this. Press firmly into a greased pan/baking tray. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. When that’s done, pour the ketchup on top and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Palak Paneer Vegana! So originally this yummy North Indian dish is made with cubes of cottage cheese, but I replace them with tofu. Really easy and super yummy dish!

Ingredients:

1 leek (about two cups full)

2 cups of spinach leaves

1 cup of water

1 cup of soya yogurt

1 cup/100 gr firm tofu

Method:

Cut up leek, say about two cups full, fry them in oil, then add two cups of spinach leaves and one cup of water and let it all steam together for a bit. After 5 minutes take it of the stove and mix in a cup of natural soya yogurt, blend together. Cut up tofu (about 100 gr) fry the tofu, just a few minutes and then add the mixture in with the tofu and you’re in business! Enjoy!